Emeritus Prof Christopher MaySep 8, 2024

Keir Starmer says the Labour Govt. has to do 'difficult things now' knowing that its going to make them unpopular....

I have no problem with 'difficult decisions', but extending austerity or further impoverishing the poor, are not 'difficult decisions'.

Difficult decisions would be increasing taxes on the wealthy, reducing various forms of corporate welfare or tackling profiteering across the economy.

His decisions are targeting the weak, that's not difficult its business as usual.

#politics

Show threadBashStKidSep 8, 2024
@ChrisMayLA6 We’ve often talked about Reeves’ severe case of Treasury Brain, but I wonder if McFadden is more responsible for the political armtwisting that’s going on.
Show threadEmeritus Prof Christopher May

@BashStKid

Good Q. - I guess the supplementary Q. is does her arm actually need to be twisted, or would the T-brain encourage her in that direction anyway?

Sep 8, 2024 at 9:24amWeb
Show threadBashStKidSep 8, 2024
@ChrisMayLA6 I don’t think Reeves’s arm needs to be twisted, but as long as she has McFadden enforcing her version of TINA, she will never have to deal with pushback or even think about a mildly creative solution.
Show threadJonathan SchofieldSep 8, 2024
@BashStKid @ChrisMayLA6 this from Chris Dillow is good on the underlying mindset https://mastodon.social/@urlyman/113072959374619251
Show threadEmeritus Prof Christopher MaySep 8, 2024

@urlyman @BashStKid

Yes, Dillow is good on this....

Show threadBashStKidSep 8, 2024
@ChrisMayLA6 @urlyman
I’d agree; especially the last paragraph; PMs can very successfully insulate themselves from anyone who might present an alternative path.
The only credible person I can see doing this is Miliband, so it will be interesting to see if Reeves/McFadden start to leak against him or downgrade his budgets.
Show threadJonathan SchofieldSep 8, 2024
@BashStKid I fully expect that to happen @ChrisMayLA6